Automatic brake mechanism.



W. B. THOMAS. AUTOMATIC BRAKE MECHANISM. APBLIGATION FILED MAY 15, 1913.

1,76,466 Patented Qct.21,1913.

F 5 mvENfron WITNES'SES Mfg' v WMa/ W v ATTORNEY.

.TED sTArps param canin.

WILBERB. THOMAS, OF SALEM, OHI.

IAU'EOMATIU BRAKEl MECHANISIVI.

To all 'whom itmag/ concern.' u Be it known that I, WILBER B. THOMAS,

a citizen of the United States of-America, y

residingat Salem, in the county of Colum# lbiana and State of Ohio, have invented cerbrake/mechanism, and the primary objectV of my invention is to utilize the exhaust from an engine or-other source of power for applying brakes in connection with a vehicle.

Another object of' this invention is to pro'- i vide a brake mechanism that can be advantageously used 1n connect-lon with an auto'- j mobile, whereby the exhaust from the in'- 20 ternal combustion engine can be utilized for actuating the brake mechanism to set thev brakes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic brake mechanism that is positive in its action, durable, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, an highly eflicient for the purposes for which it is intended.

, f l/Vith the above and other obllectys in View the invention residesv in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the draw'- ingwherein:

Figure 1 isa plan of a brake mechanism,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionalA view of the same, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a valve, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a valve rod.

In describing my invention by aid of the drawing above referred to I desire to point out that I intend said views as merely illus'- trative of an example whereby my invention may vbe applied in practice, and I ldo not' limit my claims to the precise ar- -'rangement and construction of parts indicated. The following description is there'- fore to be construed broadly as including substitute arrangements and constructions which are the obvious equivalent of those shown.

In the drawing, 1 denotes, by the way of Specication of Letters latent.

Application led May 15, 1913.

Serial No. 767,872.

an example, a portion of an automobile frame supporting 'an internal vcombustion engine 2 which has an exhaust pipe 3. Mounted upon the pipe 3 is a l valve body 4 having a connection 5- provided with a pipe 6. 'In the valve body 4 is a shutter valve 7 thatcontrols the passage of the connection 5. and the exhaust through the pipe 3. rIhe shutter valve? has the stem 8 thereof provided with a crank 9 and pivotally connected to said crank is van operating rod 10 and a connecting rod 11. rIhe operatin rod 10 can be moved by hand or foot and t e mechanism for shifting this rod forms no part of this invention.

Suspended or otherwise supported by the frame 1 is a cylinder 12 having heads 13 and 14, the latter having a stelling` box 15 and v the former a small exhaust port 16. Slidably mounted in the cylinder 12 is a piston head 17 having piston rods 18 and 19 extending through theheads 14 and 13 respectively. The ends of the piston rods can Patented Get. 21, 1913;

be connected to ,the brake mechanisms. of

the forward or rear wheels of a vehicle or either rod used, .while the non-used rod is connected to a hand or treadle operating mechanism. r y

The cylinder 12 has a valve chest 2O provided with a chamber 21, a longitudinal opening 22 in communication with said chamber and a port 23 that establishes communication between the cylinder l2 and the chamber 2l through ythe medium of a valve seat 24. The valve chest has an opening 25 in communication with the pipe 6, whic is connected to said valve chest by a connection 26. The valve chest 20 is provided with a detachable cap or plug 27 whereby easy access can be had to the valve seat 24. Slidably mounted in the opening 22 is a tubular valve rod 28 that has the inner end thereof provided with a main valve 29 `and the outer end thereof with a rotatable collar 30.

Slidably mounted in the valve rod is an' auxiliary valve rod 31 that has the outer end thereof provided with a collar 32 and the inner end thereof with an auxiliary Valve 33 that seats in the valve 29. The auxiliary valve `rod has a longitudinal port 34 and with the auxiliary valve 33 seated, the inner end of the port is closed by the walls of the main valve rod 28 andl the outer end of the port is open to the atmosphere. lincircling the main valve rod 28 between the collar 30 and the chest 20 is a coiled compression spring 35 that holds the main valve 29 normally seated. Encircling the outer end of the auxiliary valve rod 31, between the end of the main valve rod and the collar 32 is a coiled spring 36 that holds the auxiliary valve 33 normally seated in the.4

18 is connected to a brake mechanism and lil) that the piston rod 19 or the operating rod 10 is connected to a treadle or hand lever, either one-can be moved, but it is preferable to utilize the operating rod 10, and further assuming that the vehicle is in use, the in'- ternal combustion engine runningand it is desired to apply the' brakes, it is only necessary tol shift the rod 10. When the crank 9 of the shut-ter valve 7 is rocked, the shutter valve opens the connection 5 and closes the outlet of the valve body 4, wherebyY the exhaust will be deflected into the pipe 6. From the pipe 6 the exhaust enters the chamber 21 overcomes the tension of the spring 35, opens the main valve 29, enters the port 23 and the cylinder 12 to shift the piston head 17, whereby the mechanism attached to the piston rod 18 will apply thev brakes of the vehicle. The port 16 allows air to exhaust from the cylinder 12 while the piston head 17 is being shifted. Vhen it is desired to release the brakes the operating rod 10 is restored to its normal position, consequently the connection 5 is closed and the spring 35 seats the main valve 29. As the shutter valve 7 is actuated, the crank'37 is moved and shifts the auxiliary valve rod independent of the main valve rod. The spring 36 is placed under tension and the auxiliary valve 33 opened, whereby the cylinder 12 can exhaust through the port. 23 into the inner end of the port 34 of the auxiliary valve rod 31 and from said port to the atmosphere. The tension of the spring '36 closes the. auxiliary valve when the operating rod 10 is released.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I can utilize the exhaust of an internal f combustion engine, for quickly and positively applying the brakes of a vehicle, and

that the mechanism as herein shown and described is applicableto various types of automobiles that are driven by internal combustion engines.

What I claim is 1. In an automatic brake mechanism, the

nova-Lee combination with an exhaust pipe, of a cylinder, a piston head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a piston rod adapted to bc connected to a brake mechanism, a valve chest carried by said cylinder and establishing communication between said cylinder and said exhaust pipe, a shut-ter valve in connection with said exhaust pipe for deecting the exhaust of said pipe into said cylinder, and means in connection with said valve chest for controlling the passage of the yexhaust to and from said cylinder.

2. In an automatic brake mechanism, the combination with an exhaust pipe, of a cylinder, a piston head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a piston rod adapted to be connected to a brake mechanism, a valve chest carried by said cylinder and establishing communication between said c linder and said exhaust pipe, a shutter va ve in connection with said exhaust pipe for deiiectingthe exhaust of said pipe into said cylinder, and means including main and auxiliary valves operable with said shutter valve for controlling the connection between said cylinder and said exhaust pipe.

3. In an automatic brake mechanism, the combination with an exhaust pipe, of a cylinder, a piston head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a piston rod adapted to be connected to abra-ke mechanism, a valve chest carried by said cylinder and establishing communication between said cylinder and said exhaust pipe, a shutter valve in connection with said exhaust pipe for deiiecting the exhaust of said pipe into valve chest for controlling the admission of exhaust to said cylinder, and an lauxiliary valve operable in said main valve for controlling the exhaust from said cylinder.

4. In an automatic brake mechanism, the 'combination with an exhaust pipe, of a cylinder, a piston head slidably mounted in said cylinder and having a piston rod adapted to be connected to a brake mechanism, a valve chest carried by said cylinder and establishing communication between said cyl- -said cylinder, a main valve operable 1n said inder and said exhaust pipe, a shutter va ve in connection with said exhaust pipe for deflecting the exhaust of said pipe into said cylinder, a main valve operable in said valve chest for controlling the yadmission of exhaust to said cylinder, an auxiliary 'valve operable in said main valve for controlling the exhaust from said cylinder, and means operable in unison with said shutter valve' for moving said main and auxiliary valves.

5. In an automatic brake mechanism, the combination with an exhaust pipe, of a cylinder in communication therewith, a piston head movable in saidcylinder and having a piston rod adapted to be connected to a Lomme brake mechanism, a, valve carried by said 1; exhaust pipe for 'deflecting the exhaust of f; in the presence of two Witnesses. said pipe to said cylinder, and means csso- WILBER 1B. THOMAS.

ciated with said cylinder for controlling the Witnesses:

D. A. WARNER,

5 assage of the exhaust of said pipo to and l rom said cylinder. LINCOLN DOCKET.

In testimony whereof ax lmy signature v 

